Bending the Rules
by wishes-three
Summary: An idle wish comes true, sending three authors into the places of CCS characters. Tam Chronin is Sakura? Snowykittenz turned into Syaoran?? And L-chan got pulled in too??? Shameless author inserts result in hilarity and a mixed up story line.
1. When Dreams Come True: Sakura

**Bending the Rules**

_When Dreams Come True: Tam/Sakura_   
  


In a chat one day:   
  


snowykittenz: Oh, hang on I might be Syaoran if I was someone out of CCS   
snowykittenz: and fall in love with Eriol then   
Tam Chronin: hehehe   
snowykittenz: see, if I'm Syaoran, Tomoyo can have Sakura   
Tam Chronin: ~nods~ Ooohhh, if you're Syaoran can I be Sakura? ~blink, blink~ er... ~hides~   
snowykittenz: ok I would wish for that then! For me to be Syaoran and you to be Sakura   
snowykittenz: I'd be a boy and you'd be a girl   
Tam Chronin: yay!   
Tam Chronin: :-)   
snowykittenz: and were both girls now   
Tam Chronin: ~nods~   
snowykittenz: so you'd fall in lurve with Tomoyo?   
Tam Chronin: Yeah...she's so sweet.   
snowykittenz: and I'd fall in lurve with Eriol (or Yue)   
snowykittenz: but hang on you'd get Yue *glomps*   
Tam Chronin: :-P  We'd both be in love with Yue. ~giggles~   
Tam Chronin: My mean brat of a big brother would get Yue!  ~cries~ 

~~~~~@~~~~~ 

A week later: 

Yes, it was just another day in front of the computer. Dull, boring, and--wait, no, that just about covers it. I was sick and had the unbreakable writer's block from hell. The house was a disaster, I hadn't gotten any sleep, and I wished I could be _anywhere_ but here. I brought my head down on the keyboard with a soft thud, then closed my eyes and started rubbing my temples. Why couldn't I write? 

I decided suddenly that my biggest mistake that day had been getting out of bed in the first place. I stumbled off to bed, pulling the box of tissues with me in a protective embrace, and cursed my allergies. My head hit the pillow and a bright flash hit my eyes. I decided I had to just be sicker than I thought and cuddled in closer to my pillow. 

~beepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeepbeep~ 

"Hoe?" 

I sat up in bed, eyes wide and staring. The beeping was still going on, but I had more important things to worry about. I was NOT in the same room I had been in. It looked vaguely familiar, but I was sure it was a room I'd never been in before. I blinked sleepily, taking in the strange stuffed animals and the calendar hanging next to me on the wall. 

The numbers didn't throw me a bit...the calendar was for March and April. Across the top though, where I expected normal letters or tiny words, there was kanji. And I knew what they meant. 

"HHOOOEEEEEE!" 

I clamped my hands over my mouth. Did I just say that? It didn't even sound like me! 

Someone was knocking on the door. "Hey, monster--" 

Except I knew he had just said, "Oi, kaijuu" when he called through the door. 

"Come on, wake up and shut off that stupid alarm. It's giving me a headache!" 

I reached over my head to grab the alarm clock I knew would be there. I looked at it, trying to figure out which button would turn it off. Just as I was about to get it, the door opened and a face poked in with a condescending sneer. "What's the matter, kaijuu, forget how to turn it off?" 

I turned the alarm off and glared, grabbing a pillow to throw at him, but he shut the door too fast. Oh yes, I knew who he was. With all these clues, how could I NOT know? 

That was Kinomoto Touya. My "Onii-chan". My big brother. I walked calmly over to a mirror I knew would be on my desk. Yes, there I was. 

Kinomoto Sakura. A fourth grader at Tomoeda Elementary. My favorite subjects are P. E. and music. My least favorite is arithmetic. You could say one of my best qualities is that I'm so cheerful. 

This was going to be harder than I thought when I made that idle wish a week ago with that girl online. 

I sighed and looked in the top right drawer of my desk. No red book, no Kero-chan, no cards. Not yet at least. I heaved a huge sigh and got ready for school. 

~~~~~@~~~~~

I raced downstairs, sure that I must be late. I had watched every episode I could of Card Captor Sakura, and almost every one started with me, Sakura, running late for school. 

I started by smiling at my big brother, shouting a cheerful "Ohayo!" in his direction. I couldn't help but smile to see him. I was the luckiest fangirl in the world, looking there at Touya. I had never had a "thing" for him like so many other girls I knew online, but I could feel the envy. I basked in that warm glow for a moment. 

He didn't even smile at me back, he just drank his morning tea then shot me a look. "Why were you thrashing around in your room?" 

_What?_ "I wasn't thrashing around." 

"For that, you sure were making a lot of noise." He wouldn't even look at me as he talked, dismissing me like some little girl. Well, maybe I was now, but that wasn't the point. 

_What noise?_ "I was just walking around like normal." _Wasn't I?_

"When you walk, it sounds like some huge monster walking around." He was still looking off into the hallway as if I were a bug beneath his notice. 

Oh, that was _it!!!_ "I am not a monster!" I stormed over to him, making him pay attention to me. 

Now he smiled as he used my head to rest his cup on. I couldn't believe it! It wasn't fair! I wasn't used to being treated like a little kid, dismissed so easily, and I absolutely detested being teased! 

I tried to reach him, losing my temper and wanting to just beat him up, but he managed to hold me back with that stupid cup he put on my head. It was humiliating! It wasn't fair! I pulled back, madder than ever, but then I stopped. 

Was it déjà vu? I _knew_ this scene! Their dad--no, _our_ dad would interrupt by walking over to give me my breakfast and-- 

"You two get along so well this early in the morning." Almost as if on cue. 

I smiled up at him, enjoying the bit of humor and taking it as a cue to drop it. The original Sakura had thought about growing as huge as a telephone pole and squishing Touya, and I now took some comfort in that image, but now was not the time or place for that. I had to finish breakfast as fast as I could. Like I said, I _knew_ this scene, and I was really looking forward to the next one. 

~~~~~@~~~~~

Everything else unfolded exactly like the anime. Touya took off for school while I was still eating, so I gobbled down the rest of the food as fast as I could shove it in my mouth. I ran out the door, almost forgetting the skates. 

Oh god, skates. I'd never been on rollerblades, and the last time I had been on traditional skates I had fallen down and hurt myself somewhere tender. I stared at the skates for a moment, but Dad was watching. What would happen if I changed events? Would I be thrown out of this dream? There was no way in hell I'd test that before I got a chance to see _him._

I took a deep breath and hurried with the skates, hoping I wouldn't fall flat on my face. I wobbled a little at first, but as long as I didn't think about what I was doing I was fine. Part of me already knew, just like part of me knew Japanese suddenly. Would that part of me know how to get to school too? I remembered a little bit about the directions from watching the show, but there were too many omissions. I started to get scared that I'd get lost. If I got lost I'd get yelled at. I'd get in trouble at school. I'd never be able to explain why I got lost without giving away my secret, and I was scared that if I gave away my secret I'd mess up everything. Would I be sent back home? This was a dream come true for me! I didn't want to go back now! 

I found myself at a corner where there was a street lined with blossoming trees, almost glowing a soft pink in the morning light. This was where I turned, I'd recognize this street anywhere. I looked up at the trees, spinning as the sakura petals fell around me. It was more beautiful than I imagined. This moment was the stuff dreams were made of. The sky was a perfect blue, the air was crisp without being cold, the pink blossoms above me were utterly beautiful, and if I hurried just a little bit faster I'd catch up with Touya. 

And, of course, if I caught up with Touya I'd get to meet his best friend. 

I put on an extra bit of speed, determined now to catch up. I spotted him ahead and kept up the speed, pushing myself as hard as I could. I was panting by the time I caught up and Touya looked over with a puzzled expression. "You could have taken a little bit longer at home, couldn't you?" 

"Hai!" 

"Then why did you...?" 

I just smiled up at him, and then looked dreamily off into space. This is what being Sakura was really all about, wasn't it? 

"Oh--Yuki!" 

My eyes snapped up as he called out to his best friend. My heart skipped a beat. Soft gray hair framing a face with delicate features and the creamiest pale skin. Amber eyes that sparkled with inner light and joy. I went completely mushy inside just looking at him, and no matter how I fought I could feel a blush rest on my cheeks. It was _him_. Yukito. But I knew that it was also _**him**_. Yue. I felt like I was going to faint. 

~~~~~@~~~~~

I floated to school. It wasn't skating; I swear my feet were not touching the ground. I was in a dream state where the world contained Yukito and me. It caught me by complete surprise when he turned to me to say good-bye with a smile and a wave. I was now surrounded by a bunch of little kids that were all "my age". I didn't pay much attention; I just slowed down while I watched Yukito ride his bicycle away from me. It was quite a let down. After waking up as Sakura I hadn't really thought past that moment, and now it was gone. 

I had to go to school. I'd graduated from high school ten years ago, and now I was in fourth grade. This was either going to be very easy or very hard. 

I was startled from my thoughts as Yukito turned around and tossed me something. He waved with a quick "Ja ne!" and was gone. I opened my hands to find a candy...oh yes, that had been part of the first episode hadn't it? I wanted to huggle it up to me, my first gift from him, but before my hands closed around the treat again I was startled when someone said something behind me and I dropped it. 

My first thought was to just bend over and pick it up, but I realized I couldn't do that in this short skirt. I tried to just kneel down, but had forgotten all about wearing rollerblades, and wound up falling flat on my face. 

I was suddenly very thankful for the kneepads and elbowpads. Still, I wanted to sink into the ground and hide as I heard people laughing and commenting on "poor, clumsy Kinomoto-san". Only one kind voice reached my ears, sounding angelic in my misery. 

"Sakura-chan! Are you okay?" 

I got up carefully, acutely aware of how short that stupid skirt really was now. I almost toppled over again as a breeze blew by and I made a mad grab for my skirt. I barely regained my balance after that, but the whole school would know the color of my panties all day. Now I _really_ wanted to crawl under a rock and disappear. 

"I'm okay, I'm okay, nothing wounded but my pride." I turned to look at the girl who had asked if I was okay, and I recognized her immediately. "Good morning, Tomoyo-chan!" 

She was looking at me funny. She frowned a little, looking at me closely. "Good morning, Sakura-chan." 

I tried to assure her with a sunny smile. "We should go inside now, right?" 

She thought for a moment, then shook her head. "We have plenty of time. Come over here with me for a minute, okay?" 

She started walking off to an area where no one else was. I followed curiously, not remembering this part in the anime at all. Was this just a scene that got cut, or were things about to take a dramatic turn for the worse? 

Tomoyo turned to me finally, a serious expression hung on her face. "Something is different about you today. It's like--it's like you're not Sakura-chan today." 

"Why do you say--" 

"You aren't Sakura-chan, are you?" 

I stared at her, unsure how to answer. How did she know? Well, of course, she knew Sakura better than anyone else. Still, it hadn't even been five minutes! 

Well, now what? 


	2. Wish Upon a Fallen Star: Syaoran

**Bending the Rules**

_Wish Upon A Fallen Star: Snowykittenz/Syaoran_   
  


As I stared at the midnight sky, I saw it, a little twinkle slowly falling towards earth. This was the shooting star that I had been told about. I closed my eyes and slowly whispered my wish, letting my heart reach out to the star. "I wish Card Captors Sakura was real, and that I could be Syaoran, Tam Chronin to be Sakura and for L-chan to be Nakuru" I whispered gently. 

The star seemed to brighten up a little and I watched it for the next ten minutes as it fell to the earth. 

"Thank you for listening..." I said to the star as it began to disappear and trodded over to bed. I must have been rather tired because I couldn't remember getting into my bed and changing into my green pyjamas. 

~~~~~@~~~~~   
(does Tam's divide :) )

The next day I woke up with a slight headache, because of staying up so late, I presumed. I slowly walked down the corridor to the toilet and went round my usual business. It wasn't till then I noticed something was definitely wrong. 

"What the he..." I put my hands over my mouth, not believing what I'd just heard, In my mind I was thinking English but I could tell I was speaking some other kind of language. 

I suddenly noticed that the room I was in wasn't my home bathroom, it was different. The room was painted in oriental designs, with pictures of houses on stilts in rivers painted in blue against a red and orange sunset. The bathroom itself was amazing but the bedroom and garden was even more spectacular. 

In my bedroom was a four-poster bed, which at each corner had the engravings of the four elements. On my pillow was the symbol for spirit; it made sense that there would be magic symbols everywhere. 

I was shocked when all of a sudden I heard a knocking at the door of my bedroom. 

"Master Syaoran, your breakfast is ready, your mother Yelan is concerned that you might be I'll seeing as you've overslept..." shouted a voice through the door. i instantly recognized the voice as Wei's and thought it was pretty cool that I could hear Wei speaking in English even though he was speaking in Chinese. 

I decided to answer back, "Yes Wei, tell mother I'm sorry and I will be with her in a short while!" I said through the door as I walked over to the chest of drawers. 

Inside the chest of drawers were many ceremonial robes and school uniforms. I chose Syaoran's/my usual school uniform and went out into the hallway. The hallway was flooded with light from a huge window that went the entire length or the corridor. 

Outside I recognized the garden, which I had seen so many times in the first cardcaptors movie. 

I made my way towards a large oak door at the end of the corridor, which from behind, there voices talking. I slowly opened the door and peeked round. I gawped at the sight. There was a huge hall with many tapestries hanging off the walls and in the middle of the hall was a huge table that must have been able to seat at least fifty people. At the end was a group of four girls, my sisters, Yelan, my mother, and Mei-lin, my fiancée. 

The hall went silent as I walked in, I took what I presumed was my place at the table and looked at the faces of those around me. 

"Syaoran you're later than usual, a lot later than usual. Is something wrong?" Asked Yelan, raising one eyebrow and winking. 

'Oh Drat, she knows!' I though to myself panicking. I shook my head, "No." 

Yelan stood up, "I'm leaving the hall with Syaoran for a few minutes. You may start eating without me once the food arrives." 

'Damn' I cursed in my head as I followed her out of the hall. 

Yelan pointed her finger towards me and gave me a stern look, "your not Syaoran, I know that and I can also tell your female. You are surrounded with star magic so obviously the stars seem to favor you. Maybe you have been sent due to the change that will occur sometime about now in the future?" 

"You mean the opening of the book of Clow?" I asked. 

Yelan smiled, "So, that's what's going to happen, I presume you have some knowledge of my family ancestry?" 

"Yes, we are part of the Li clan, which is the most powerful clan in China. I'm...urm Syaoran is a direct descendant of Clow Reed. One of the most powerful magicians that ever lived, maybe even the most powerful magician." I said all knowingly. 

Yelan placed her hand on my shoulder and bent down to my level, "You don't need to worry about me being your enemy. As far as I am concerned you are now my son and I shall do all in my power to help you. If there is anything you need, depending on what it is I will try and help you." 

I nodded,"Thank you, urm...how about these elemental spell thingies then?" 

Yelan laughed, "I shall teach you magic then, you'll probably already know how to do it though, it's all locked away in here." She said, tapping my forehead. 

My stomach growled and I blushed. 

"Come. Lets eat!" said Yelan holding out her hand towards me. 

I sighed in relief, 'This is going to be one heck of an adventure...' 

~~~~~@~~~~~

AN: *states the obvious* This is part of the bending the rules timeline, from the POV of Syaoran. If you don't know what I mean then go read Tam or L-chan's versions of what happens. 

*crowd cheers* 

Thank you! Thank you! *bows* 

Thanks to both L-chan and Tam for helping me, and Tam also gets the award for proof reading this fic (even though she doesn't know it yet...) (ed.: I do now! Bwahahahaha!) 

~snowykittenz~ 


	3. I Was a Teenage Moon Guardian: Nakuru

**Bending the Rules**

_I Was a Teenage Moon Guardian: L-chan/Nakuru_

Unimpressed with my choice of television programs for the evening, I popped in a favorite DVD. I never got tired of watching the adventures of the happy magical girl and her friends, even though I had seen each episode at least ten times. I knew exactly what scene was coming next, and I could probably recite the dialogue by heart, if I spoke Japanese. I stretched out on the sofa and closed my eyes, listening to the familiar voices of old friends. The last thing I heard before drifting off to sleep was the cheery, skippy melody announcing the arrival of one of my favorite characters. 

~~~~~@~~~~~

A knock on the door pulled me out of my restless slumber, and I buried my head under the pillow, hoping that whoever it was would go away. I wasn't in the mood to listen to a sales pitch for roofing repairs or to explain to one of my neighbors why our lawn hadn't been cut in over a month. My home was in perfectly suitable shape, thank you very much. 

"Did you forget it's your turn to make breakfast?" a quiet, gender-ambiguous voice called through the door. 

What? Breakfast? I don't make breakfast. I don't eat breakfast. "Leave me alone," I mumbled sleepily. "I was dreaming that Xander was still an important character on Buffy." 

"You'd better get up," the voice warned. 

I felt like I should recognize that voice. "Who are you?" I asked with annoyance, but no one answered. Whoever it was must have left, knowing it was futile to try and get me out of bed so early in the morning. But how could they know? 

When I pulled my head out from under my pillow and opened my eyes, I had no idea where I was. It was a fairly small bedroom, filled with gorgeous antique furniture. I sat up in the twin-sized bed, which had a rich, intricately carved mahogany headboard and footboard. There was a matching wardrobe and dressing table, and sumptuous brocade drapes puddled beneath a beautiful picture window, which was currently streaked with the trails of falling raindrops. The walls were decorated with a floral wallpaper, and an ornate rug covered the hardwood floor. If I didn't know better, I'd say I was in an old, Victorian-era house in England. Yeah, that's what I should be concentrating on-where I was, instead of how the heck I got there. Maybe I was still dreaming after all. 

There was another knock on the bedroom door, louder this time. "Ruby Moon!" The voice was different, too. Lower and more authoritative. And definitely masculine, whereas the first one had been fairly androgynous. "We're waiting for you downstairs. Will you be joining us sometime this century?" It was a polite enough request, but something in his tone said that he was not used to being disobeyed. 

"Yes, I'll be right there," I answered automatically, as if this were something I did every morning. But, wait a minute. Did he call me... Ruby Moon? 

No way. 

I threw back the heavy ivory coverlet on my bed and ran to the dressing table. The face in the mirror was not mine, but I recognized it immediately. The heart-shaped face with large brown eyes and rosy cheeks, the perkily upturned nose, the genki perma-grin, the waist-length russet-colored hair. I looked like a teenager, and I was a little taller than I should be. "Nakuru," I whispered in surprise. And for the first time, I realized it wasn't my own voice. It was higher-pitched and had a bit of an accent that I couldn't quite place. If it was possible to have a cross between an English and Japanese accent, that might be the best way to describe it. 

"Ohayo," I said to the girl in the mirror. "Akizuki Nakuru desu. Yoroshiku ne." And that pretty much used up all the Japanese I knew. 

I reached out to trace my reflection with a shaky finger. The girl in the mirror did the same. Yep, it was me, all right. I was Nakuru. But, if I was Nakuru, then that meant... I was Ruby Moon, too. Just like Eriol had said. 

Oh, crap. That was Eriol telling me to get my butt downstairs. I was going to be in so much trouble! 

So as much as I would have liked to ponder my new situation, looking out at a strange world through strange eyes, I'd have to worry about that later. I opened the wardrobe and found a simple blue dress. I pulled Nakuru's-I mean, my-way-too-frilly ankle-length nightgown over my head and quickly got dressed, then brushed my wonderfully long hair and pulled it into a sleek ponytail, accented with a matching blue ribbon. 

I checked my reflection again, trying to get used to seeing that other girl looking back at me. Well, whether Nakuru was technically a girl or not could be debated, but I was relieved that she'd chosen a female body. I knew how to be a girl. What I didn't know how to be was a magical creature. 

And I'd already said I'd be downstairs. Darn, darn, darn. I should've said I was sick. Except... do magical creatures get sick? This was going to be a serious problem. There was no way I was going to pull this off. How could I hide from people with such strong magical abilities? They were going to see right through me. So I'd better get it over with and ask Eriol to find a way to get me back home. 

Except.... 

Except I wasn't so sure I wanted to go back home. Not just yet, anyway. 

How many people got the chance to step into their favorite series? It could be fun, right? And it was my privilege-nay, my very duty- to find out as much as I could and report back to my friends. If they'd ever believe me, that is. 

Who knows? Maybe I _could_ do this. I had to try. If I could fool them, then I could stay. 

Okay. Time to get into character. I took a deep breath and prepared myself for what was to come. I knew some of it, but not all of it. How much would follow a script, and how much would be up to me? Only one way to find out. 

I skipped downstairs, Nakuru style, bouncing into the dining room with a cheery, "Good morning!" 

Three pairs of eyes looked back at me. "Good morning," Eriol, Kaho, and Spinel replied in unison with matching perplexed expressions. Oh, thank the sweet Lord above. They spoke English. They were all sitting stoically at the dining table, waiting patiently. For me? Aw, that's so sweet! 

Then I noticed the empty plates on the table. Oh. They were waiting for their breakfast. 

"I'm sorry I overslept. Must be all the rain we've been having. I'll whip up some eggs for everyone. How does that sound? Yummy, huh?" The words poured out in typical, hyper Nakuru fashion. I didn't wait for an answer as I headed for a doorway which I prayed led to the kitchen. 

It did. I found everything I needed, just as if I knew where it all should be. I concentrated all of my attention on cooking, so I wouldn't have to ponder what would happen when I went back in there to face them all again. Where did I learn to make eggs benedict? The hollandaise sauce was perfect, the ham nicely sautéed, and I'd even made some fried potatoes and fresh fruit salad to go with it. And there weren't words to describe my amazing toast! Tea, orange juice... also good. I had no idea I possessed such culinary talents. Then again, they weren't _my_ talents; they were _hers_. 

I balanced the many serving plates on my arms like a seasoned diner waitress and went back to the dining room. "Breakfast is served!" I chirped as I set the dishes on the table. "I hope you enjoy it!" Did Nakuru always talk like this? Like everything was so exciting? I was going to be worn out by the end of the meal. Maybe I should bring it down a notch. 

My efforts were received with more wary glances before everyone started eating. Eriol and Kaho both complimented my cooking before engaging in a muted conversation. I strained to listen but couldn't make out what they were saying. I turned to Spinel, who was quietly reading the arts section of _The Sunday Times_, which was laid out on the table in front of him. Was it like this every morning? They weren't acting as if anything out of the ordinary had happened, so it would be best not to draw attention to myself. And while they were all involved in their own activities, I had the perfect opportunity to observe them all. 

Spinel Sun. Suppi. He really was cute in his midnight-blue plushie form. You just wanted to hug and squeeze him, but he didn't look like the type who enjoyed cuddling. Definitely liked his space. I could tell that by the way he sat at the opposite end of the table, subtly apart from the rest of us. It was a good thing I'd grown up with two younger sisters, because I was used to the sibling rivalry and teasing that came with the territory. We'd probably bicker a lot. I was a bickering type anyway, so that should be easy enough. 

Mizuki Kaho. Was she as insufferable in real life as she seemed on the show? She certainly was prettier in person. God, how I coveted that gorgeous red hair. So, what was our relationship? I'd never seen her really interact with Nakuru. Were they friends? Rivals for Eriol's affection? Did they shop and gossip together? Or did they secretly loathe each other with the fiery heat of a thousand suns? I had mixed feelings about her myself, and I had a strong suspicion that Nakuru and I had that in common. 

Hiiragizawa Eriol. He might have looked like a ten-year-old boy, but he had the bearing of someone so much older. His voice was low, and his stormy gray-blue eyes were filled with knowledge and experience beyond my measly, mortal comprehension. I was an adult, and yet I felt like a child in his presence. I'd always thought he was, well, a little creepy, but up close, he just seemed... familiar. Again, I wasn't sure where my impressions left off and any of Nakuru's lingering feelings began, but I was filled with awe and respect for her... my... _our_ master. There was a vague prickling sensation along my spine, and I knew it was because of the power he possessed, and its resonance in me. It was very peculiar, but somehow comforting at the same time. 

Either I was too obvious in my staring, or, more likely, Eriol was always aware of everything going on around him, because those blue eyes slid in my direction for a brief moment. I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment, and I focused my attention on my plate instead, shoveling down the eggs and potatoes as if they were the best food I'd ever tasted. And I didn't even _like_ eggs. 

When I cautiously looked up again, Eriol was most definitely studying me. He cleared his throat as he stood up from the table. "Please join me in the garden, Ruby Moon." 

I set my fork down and stood also. If I were truly being myself, I'd say something like, "Are you crazy? It's pouring cats and dogs out there." But I wasn't myself. I was Nakuru, and it wasn't my place to disobey my master, so I bit my tongue and nodded submissively. 

After a quick whispered exchange with Eriol, Kaho began clearing the table. "If you'd care to help me clean the kitchen, Spinel," she said softly, "then we can have our chess rematch." 

"All right," he replied, hovering in the air with a teacup between his plush paws. "But don't expect me to let you win this time." 

I didn't hear the rest of their conversation, except for a warm laugh from Kaho, as I followed Eriol outside. It was still raining, but before I could comment, he pulled a golden key out of his pocket and chanted the spell to turn the key into his magic staff. He then waved the staff as he mumbled something, and a transparent, domed barrier appeared over the back yard. The rain drummed angrily against it, but not a drop penetrated the magic shield. "That should do," he murmured. 

Then he pointed the sun-tipped staff at me. "Return to your true form. Ruby Moon!" 

I was immediately surrounded by a cocoon of warmth and power, and a jolt of electricity shot up my spine, sending the strong current through my entire body. The connection to him that I'd felt before was even stronger now, like I was a part of him rather than a separate being. When my feet touched the ground again, I knew I was different. I looked down at the bizarre dominatrix-esque attire I was now wearing, and my formerly brown hair was now pink, hanging down over my shoulders. I automatically flexed my back muscles and felt the large butterfly wings flutter behind me. Cool. 

I didn't have much of a chance to adjust to my new form, because I heard Eriol begin chanting again. Then he waved his staff, and a large fire ball came racing toward me. So I, Ruby Moon, the magical creation of the great Hiiragizawa Eriol, bravely defended myself against this sudden attack with natural instinct. 

I ducked. 

Which was obviously the wrong response. "Just as I thought," Eriol mused quietly. He walked forward and stopped just a few inches in front of me. Never in my life had I been so intimidated by someone so much shorter than me. "Would you care to tell me just who you are?" he asked, and he almost sounded amused. 

When I regained the ability to speak, as I had been a little freaked out by both the fire ball and his apparent knowledge of my situation, I filled him in on everything I knew. That I was a mere, nonmagical human, a homemaker from the States whose homemaking skills left something to be desired. That I had fallen asleep while watching television and woke up here, but I didn't know how or why. That I hadn't meant any harm by pretending to be Nakuru, and that I'd just wanted to have a little fun before I had to go home again. 

He nodded, mostly to himself, as he took this information in. Then he shrugged. "Well, and this may be a first, but I have absolutely no idea how this happened. And until I can figure it out, I'm going to have to assume that you're going to be with us for a while." 

He certainly was taking this well. Maybe he just didn't like to appear out of sorts in front of others, so he was hiding his concern about his missing moon guardian. Of course, I was taking it pretty well, too, but that's because I still had the hazy feeling that this was all a dream. So, then, why shouldn't he take it well, if it wasn't really happening? 

Or was it? 

Either way, for now I was going to stay. I tried to hold back my excitement, which was easy enough, as it was immediately dampened by more pressing concerns. "But what about Kaho and Spinel? Surely they've realized-" 

"Don't worry about them," he interrupted. "As soon as you came downstairs, I noticed something wasn't right, and I've cast a spell to hide your true aura from others. Everyone else will only sense Ruby Moon, just as they should." I must have looked puzzled, but he continued before I could say anything. "I think it's best that way, for now. Until we know more. Don't you think?" 

He'd know better than I would, so I simply nodded in agreement. I had a hundred questions I wanted to ask, but I didn't know where to start. Maybe with this ridiculous outfit. Or the pink hair. Or- 

"Let's try this again, shall we?" Eriol returned to his original position and raised his staff again. "This time, try to block my attack." 

"How?" The word was barely out when another fire ball came toward me, a little slower this time. Rather than ducking as I had before, I thrust my hands out, palms forward, as I'd seen in a dozen different anime series. That usually helped ward off magic attacks, right? The ball bounced off the invisible shield I'd somehow created, and then it disappeared. My mouth dropped open in shock. Did I really do that? 

"Good, good," Eriol said with a satisfied nod. "The powers are still there; you just need to learn how to use them. We should begin your training immediately." 

Training? God, this was going to be hard. But as Eriol gave me an encouraging smile, I knew that it was also going to be the most fun I'd had in a long time. 


End file.
